Vendors – prospective

Auctions offer one of the best means known of establishing market value at any given time. They encourage open competitive bidding, which often achieves the best price available for any given commodity. Auctions are freely accessible to members of the public and the trade. This competitive environment is also often a source of great interest and occasionally humour!

Buyers – prospective

Conversely, auctions allow opportunities for entrepreneurs to undertake research and market investigations prior to purchase. This enables enterprising and resourceful individuals, who can sometimes have a “different view”, the opportunity to purchase redundant and/or surplus second-hand or even apparently outdated equipment and to generate profit by lateral thinking.

Over the years we have seen many successful business people establish export markets for items that have no immediate use in the UK. Items that are considered redundant in one industry or organisation can often become a valuable asset to others, who can identify alternative uses. Generally speaking, auctions represent all that is best in a capitalist economy, allowing opportunities to resourceful business people who are prepared to take a risk and back their judgment with a cash investment. Free enterprise is the name of the game!

Tenders

In certain circumstances, auctions may not be the best means of disposal. This can arise in cases of specialist equipment or a market where competition is restrictive or non-existent.

In such situations tender sales could be more relevant. The benefit of a tender sale in a specialist situation is that it allows the vendor to maintain control of the process and to refuse to accept all or any offers made.

In certain circumstances where health and safety is an issue, it also enables the vendors to place conditions of sale, with regards to view, usage or inspection of items which are not generally available at an open public auction sale. We have great experience of such situations and are only too pleased to discuss particular client requirements and to give professional advice as to the best methods of disposal.